Mora recalls Pasquale’s spirit, work ethic

Photos of UCLA wide receiver and former San Clemente High football player Nick Pasquale, 20, are posted on the RV of friend Brian Miller of San Clemente during Pasquale's memorial held at San Clemente High on Sunday. UCLA and Nebraska will wear pay tribute to Pasquale at the game on Saturday. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

LOS ANGELES – A week before a tragic accident in the early morning hours last Sunday stole 20-year-old Nick Pasquale’s life away, the UCLA walk-on wide receiver, who had long dreamt about the opportunity to feel the grass of the Rose Bowl beneath his feet, watched that dream unfold before his eyes.

With UCLA beating Nevada by a healthy margin in the second half of the Bruins’ season opener, a group of UCLA wideouts approached assistant coach Eric Yarber to lobby for Pasquale – a scrappy 5-7, 160-pound scout team standout – to get out on the field on special teams. He wouldn’t register any statistics in his limited time on the field. But he’d made it. His parents, undoubtedly watching as No. 36 took the field for the first time, would remember it forever.

No one knew then that it would be Pasquale’s last time in the Rose Bowl, his last time in a UCLA uniform. One week later, during the Bruins’ bye week, Pasquale would be struck and killed by a vehicle in his hometown of San Clemente.

It was a level of tragedy that UCLA coach Jim Mora said he has never dealt with as a football coach at any level.

But that one moment – Pasquale’s teammates lobbying their coach to put him out on the field, to make his dream come true – Mora couldn’t get it out of his mind.

“He was a kid who epitomized everything you’re looking for in a football player – from his spirit, to his selfless work ethic, his commitment to the team, his toughness,” Mora said on Monday. “I’m just really happy that Nick got a chance to play on Saturday night. I told the kids that they needed to understand how important it is that they go out there every week and try to help each other reach their dreams and their goals.”

Mora called a team meeting on Sunday night at 9 p.m. to gather his players together and help them deal with the grief that comes with losing a teammate and a friend so abruptly. And as they gathered, a silence consumed the room.

“It’s not like you have a plan for something like that,” Mora said. “It’s not like I could write something on paper and go and say it to the kids and it would make it better.”

There was no script, but Mora spoke from the heart to his team. He told them to lean on each other, and that there would be no wrong way to feel about the tragedy that had struck their team early that morning. Some, he said, cried. Some told stories of the lovable player they called “Pac-Man” and laughed.

On Monday, grief counselors were made available to anyone on the team who might need one. No players, Mora decided on Sunday, would be available to speak with the media this week. All practices will remain closed.

No one, not even Mora, is quite sure how UCLA will react with a key non-conference matchup awaiting against Nebraska on Saturday. But on Monday, little was done to prepare for the Cornhuskers with emotions still so raw, so fresh from Sunday’s tragedy.

“We can’t just move on,” Mora said. “You know, everyone says, ‘Move on,’ but you don’t move on – not from these things. You move through them, but you don’t move on. I can’t ever forget about this kid. I can’t ever forget that there’s a family out there that lost their son.”

HONORING PASQUALE

UCLA will wear patches on its jerseys with the No. 36 to honor Pasquale, starting this Saturday against Nebraska.

“I want it to be prominent,” Mora said. “I want people to see it.”

Out of respect, Nebraska players will also honor Pasquale with No. 36 emblems on their helmets. There will also be a moment of silence at Memorial Stadium, before Saturday’s kickoff.

“I speak for everybody associated with the University of Nebraska in offering our condolences to Nick Pasquale and his family (as well as) UCLA and everyone associated with their program dealing with the tragedy that they are dealing with,” Nebraska coach Bo Pelini said on Monday. “That’s a lot bigger than any football game.”

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